Mobile track leveling mechanism



Nov. 26, 1963 F. PLASSER ETAL MOBILE TRACK LEVELING MECHANISM Filed Jan.28, 19460 N um QN INVENTORS, H196# Z pL 4558 giss 72s wenn United StatesPatent O 3,111,907 MOBILE TRACK LEVELING MECHANISM Franz Plasser andJosef Theurer, both of Johannesgasse 3, Vienna, Austria Filed Jan. 28,1960, Ser. No. 5,211 6 Claims. (Cl. 104-7) The present invention relatesto a mobile track leveling mechanism for automatically aligning twotrack rails in a pre-determined Vertical plane perpendicular to thetrack.

In laying tracks and determining the desired relative position of thetwo rails dening the track plane, one of the rails is usually firstfixed in the desired position and the other rail is then lifted inrelation to the fixed rail until the desired track level is obtained. Inthis operation, the angle of the track plane has usually been visuallyobserved by reading a level and the thus obtained information was usedby the operator of the track lifting means. The control of the tracklifting means in dependence of the reading of the level istime-consuming and requires considerable effect and attention.Accordingly, it has not always been precisely performed and it was alsodifficult to observe the level while raising the one rail in accordancewith the level reading so that lifting of the rail may be stoppedprecisely at the moment when the level indicated the desired inclinationof the track plane.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide anautomatic control of the rail lifting means in response to the angle ofthe track plane and to stop the operation of a rail jack lifting one ofthe rails as soon as the relative pos-ition of this one rail to theother, fixed rail of the track is such that the desired track plane isobtained, for instance when the plane is horizontal in a straightsection of the track.

This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with this`invention by pivotally and swingably supporting a pendulum on a frameof a car having wheels for mobility on the track and :also supportingmeans for lifting either of the track rails. The pendulum carries anelectrical contact element which, upon swinging of the pendulum, engagesan electrical contact element forming part of an electrical circuit andcloses the circuit, the circuit being connected to the actuating systemfor operation of the lifting means and the closed circuit energizingmeans for discontinuing the operation. The pendulum swings in responseto a change in the relative position of the rail being lifted to theother rail which remains lixed.

In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, theelectrical contact element of the electrical lcircuit is adjustablymounted on the car frame and s-ince it is advantageous to have themechanism operable for lifting either rail, i.e. for swinging thependulum in either direction to close the circuit, one electricalcontact element is preferably mounted on each side of the pendulum.

Track planes are preferably inclined on curves so that it is desirableto make the mechanism responsive not only to the horizontal levelling ofthe track plane but to a pre-determined angle thereof, For this purpose,the contact element or each element of the electrical circuit may bemounted on a carrier which is pivotally mounted on the car frame, 1anarcuate guide being provided for adjusting the position of the carrierin relation to the frame and the contact element of the pendulum, theadjustment of the carrier in relation to the perpendicular determiningthe track plane angle which will cause closure of the circuit.Preferably, the pendulum and the contact element carrier or carriers aresupported on a common pivot means and, when two carriers are used, oneis always suiciently pivoted away from the pendulum as to beinoperative.

ICC

The control mechanism of the present invention is particularly useful inconnection with pressure fluid operated jacks for lifting rails. In thiscase, the closed electrical circuit of the mechanism energizes a means,for instance an electromagnet, for closing a valve cutting off pressurefluid from the jack.

The `above and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will appear more fully from the following detailed descriptionof a specific embodiment thereof, provided merely for purposes ofillustration and without in any Way limiting the scope of the invention.

The single FIGURE of the accompanying drawing schematicaily shows a side'View of an automatic track position responsive mechanism for actuatinga track lifting device according to this invention.

'Ihe track lifting means forms no part of the present invention, apartfrom its combination with the novel control mechanism for its operation,and may take any desired form. For instance, the track lifting means maybe the same or similar to those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,734,463or in our U.S. Patent No. 2,847,943. Suitable jacking means is alsodisclosed in our copending applications Serial No. 815,979, liled May26, 1959, and abandoned in favor of continuation :application Serial No.68,042, now Patent No. 3,103,182, dated September 10, 1963, and SerialNo. 815,982, led May 26, 1959, now Patent No. 3,101,676, dated August27, 1963. Since the track lifting means per se forms no part of theinvention, it has been illustrated only inasmuch as it is connected tothe novel control mechanism therefor.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a triangular frame l of atrack lifting car which moves on wheels 2 on rails 3', 3 of a railroadtrack, the rails being mounted on ties 4 which rest on ballast 5. Apivot pin 6 is journaled in frame 1 at its apex to constitute a pivotingmeans for the pendulum 7 which hangs on the pin. The pivoting means alsocarries tWo pivotally adjustable contact carriers 8 and 9 and which havebearing sleeves 29 pivotally mounted on pin 6 so that the contactcarriers may be adjusted in any desired angular position.

Pendulum 7 supports a two-faced contact element 10 which is arranged formaking contact with contact element 11 on carrier 8 or contact element12 on carrier 9.

The Contact carriers have pie-shaped lugs 8', 9 delining arcuate slots14 serving as guides for wing screws 13 which threadedly engage frame 1.The slots and screws constitute means for adjusting the angular positionof .the contact carriers in relation to the pendulum, a respect-ive oneof screws 13 being loosened when an adjustment of its associated carrieris desired and the screw being tightened again when the scale 15indicates the desired angular position.

While the lifting means per se forms no part of this invention `theillustrated hydraulic jack is that of our application Serial No.815,982, now Patent No. 3,101,676, this jacking means including cylinder16, piston 17 with its piston rod 1S and a foo-t piece 19' constitutedby a disc which is pivotally mounted at the end of the piston rod andengages the ground. Ille lift cylinder 16 contains `a compression spring20 tending to urge the piston upwardly when the jacking means is in itsinoperative position. A pressure fluid line 21 is in communication withthe other cylinder chamber and when it supplies pressure fluid to thischamber, the piston is urged down against the 'bias of spring 20 tooperate the jacking means by pressing the Afoot piece 19 against theground. The lift cylinder 16 has an upwardly extending lug to supportthe cylinder pivotally on bracket 1 which extends laterally outwardlyfrom upright 1 forming part of the supporting frame of the mobile trackleveling mechanism. At its lower end, the lift cylinder carries alaterally eX- 3 tending rail lift member constituted by a platform 16'xedly attached to the cylinder and adapted to subtend and support rail3' when the jacking means is in the illustrated operative position.

As shown, the supply of pressure lluid, for instance hydraulic liquid,from a pump (not shown) to conduit 21 may be cut off by valve 23. In theillustrated embodiment, the valve means is constituted by a slide valvewhich is normally hel-d in open position by a compression spring 24 andwhich may be closed electro-magnetically when the winding 25 of anelectromagnet is energized.

The electric current source is indicated by storage battery 28, thecircuit for the electromagnetic winding 25 being constituted `byconductor 27 connected to contact elements 11, 12 and by conductor 26connected to contact element 10 of pendulum 7. The circuit is closed andthe winding 25 is energized when contact element l contacts eithercontact element 11 or 12, thus closing valve means 23, cutting offfurther pressure fluid supply to lift cylinder 16 and ending the liftingoperation.

The mechanism operates as follows:

Assuming the track lifting car is positioned at a straight section ofthe track which requires the two rails to be aligned in a horizontalplane. In this case and after the rail 3 has been Xed in the desiredposition of the track, the contact carrier 8 is pivotally adjusted sothat its pointer is aligned with the calibration on scale 15 whileContact carrier 9 is moved sufliciently out of the way of pendulum 7 toremain out of contact therewith during the lifting operation, asillustrated.

The track lifting means is applied only to rail 3" which is to bebrought to a level with rail 3'.

As long as the rail 3 remains below the level of fixed rail 3', pendulum7 swings to the right (as seen in the drawing) and its contact element1t) is accordingly out of contact with either contact element 11 or l12,contact carrier 9 having been moved out of the way since it is notrequired for this operation. The pressure fluid supply system is nowactuated by the operator to supply pressu-re fluid to lift cylinder 16through open valve 23, such pressure fluid supply systems -a-lso beingknown per se, for instance from our Patents Nos. 3,101,676 and3,103,182.

As soon as the track has been levelled, i.e. rails 3 and 3 lie in thesame horizontal plane, as illustrated, pendulum 7 assumes aperpendicular position and its contact element makes contact withcontact element 11, thus closing the electric circuit 26, 27 andsupplying current from storage ybattery 28 to winding 25. This energizesthe electromagnet and instantly closes valve 23 to interrupt the liftingoperation and to hold rail 3 in the desired position wherein it may befixed in a suitable manner, for instance by tamping ballast under tie 4.

After the track has been levelled, the hydraulic jack is withdrawn in amanner known, for instance, from our above-mentioned applications, andthe track lifting car may be moved to the next track section whichrequires correction.

At track curves where itis desired to impart an inclination from thehorizontal to the track, the desired angle of inclination can beadjusted by suitably positioning contact carrier 8 or 9 according toscale 15. In each instance, only that contact carrier is operative whichdelirnits the movement of pendulum 7 during t-he lifting of therespective rail; the other carrier is always moved out of the range ofthe pendulum to avoid any interference with the control mechanism.

Many variations and modifications of the mechanism may occur to theskilled in the art, particularly after benefiting from our teaching, anessential feature being the control of the inclination of the transverseplane of `the track by a pendulum mechanism automatically c0ntrolling atrack lifting means. The scope of the invention is dened in the appendedclaims.

What we claim is:

l. A mobile track leveling mechanism mounted on a fra-me having wheelsfor mobility on railway track rails, comprising, in combination:

(l) a nail lifting jack supported on the frame for raising a selectedone of the track rails;

(2) actuating means for operating the jack; and

(3) a control system for the actuating means, said control systemincluding A (a) a pendulum pivotally and swingably supported on theframe in a vertical plane perpendicular to, and transverse of, thetrack,

(b) an electrical contact element carried on the pendulum,

(c) an electrical circuit including an electrical contact elementoperably engageable by the rstnamed contact element upon swinging of thependulum, said circuit being closed upon engagement of the contactelements when the pendulum swings in response to a change in therelative position of the selected rail in relation to the other one ofthe track rails upon operation of the jack actuating means andcorresponding raising of the selected rail, and

(d) means connected to and operated by the circuit for discontinuing thejack actuating means operation and thus to stop raising the selectedrail.

2. The mobile track leveling mechanism of claim 1, further comprisingmeans for adjustably mounting the electrical contact element of thecircuit upon the frame.

3. The mobile track leveling mechanism of claim l, further comprising acarrier `for the electrical contact element of the circuit, said carrieribeing pivotally mounted on the frame and an Iarcuate guide foradjusting the posirtion of the carrier in relation to the frame and thecontact element on the pendulum.

4. The mobile track leveling mechanism of claim 3, further comprising acommon pivot means for supporting the pendulum and said contact elementcarrier.

5. A mobile track leveling mechanism mounted on a frame having wheelsfor mobility on railway track rails, comprising, in combination:

(l) a rail lifting jack supported on the -frame for raising a selectedone of the track rails;

(2) actuating means for operating the jack; and

( 3) a control system for the actuating means, said control systemincluding (a) a pendulum pivotally and swingably supported on the framein a vertical plane perpendicular to, and transverse of, the track,

(b) fan electrical contact element carried on the pendulum,

(c) an electrical circuit including two electrical contact elementsrespectively operably engageable by the pendulum contact element uponswinging of the pendulum, said circuit being closed upon engagement ofthe pendulum contact element with la respective one of the circuitcontact elements when the pendulum swings in response to a change in therelative position of the selected rail in relation to the other one ofthe track rails upon operation of the jack actuating means andcorresponding raising of the selected rail,

(e) an adjustable mounting for each of the circuit contact elements onthe frame whereby the angle of each of the circuit contact elements inrespect of the pendulum may be varied, and

(d) means connected to and operated by the circuit for discontinuinglthe jack actuating means operation and thus to stop raising theselected rail.

6. A mobile track leveling mechanism mounted on a frame having wheelsfor mobility on railway track rails, comprising, in combination:

(1) a hydraulic rail lifting jack supported on the frame for raising aselected one 'of the track rails;

(2) a hydraulic fluid supply for :operating the jack and valve means inthe supply for discontinuing the jack operation upon closing of thevalve means; and

(3) a control system for closing the valve means, said control systemincluding (a) a pendulum pivotallly and swingably supported on the framein a vertical plane perpendicular to, and transverse of, the track,

(b) an electrical contact element carried on the pendulum,

(c) :an electrical cincuit including an electrical Contact elementoperably engageable by the rstnamed contact element upon swinging of thependulum, said circuit being closed upon engagement of the contactelements when the pendulum swings in response to a change in therelative .position of the selected -rail in relation to the other one ofthe track rails upon operation of the hydraulic fluid supply andcorresponding raising of the selected rail, and

(d) lmeans connected -to and operated by the circuit for closing thevalve means and thus to stop raising the selected rail.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McGregorDec. 23, Ellis et al Dec. 22, Downie July 1, McDougall Apr. 11,Blanche-tt Dec. 14, South Ian. 21, Busick et al Dec. 30, Shivers Dec.27, I-Iursh et al. Feb. 14, Sublett Sept. 11, Loiselle Dec. 8, KershawMar. 1,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 27, Great Britain July 25,

1. A MOBILE TRACK LEVELING MECHANISM MOUNTED ON A FRAME HAVING WHEELSFOR MOBILITY ON RAILWAY TRACK RAILS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (1) ARAIL LIFTING JACK SUPPORTED ON THE FRAME FOR RAISING A SELECTED ONE OFTHE TRACK RAILS; (2) ACTUATING MEANS FOR OPERATING THE JACK; AND (3) ACONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE ACTUATING MEANS, SAID CONTROL SYSTEM INCLUDING(A) A PENDULUM PIVOTALLY AND SWINGABLY SUPPORTED ON THE FRAME IN AVERTICAL PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO, AND TRANSVERSE OF, THE TRACK, (B) ANELECTRICAL CONTACT ELEMENT CARRIED ON THE PENDULUM, (C) AN ELECTRICALCIRCUIT INCLUDING AN ELECTRICAL CONTACT ELEMENT OPERABLY ENGAGEABLE BYTHE FIRSTNAMED CONTACT ELEMENT UPON SWINGING OF THE PENDULUM, SAIDCIRCUIT BEING CLOSED UPON ENGAGEMENT OF THE CONTACT ELEMENTS WHEN THEPENDULUM SWINGS IN RESPONSE TO A CHANGE IN THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THESELECTED RAIL IN RELATION TO THE OTHER ONE OF THE TRACK RAILS UPONOPERATION OF THE JACK ACTUATING MEANS AND CORRESPONDING RAISING OF THESELECTED RAIL, AND (D) MEANS CONNECTED TO AND OPERATED BY THE CIRCUITFOR DISCONTINUING THE JACK ACTUATING MEANS OPERATION AND THUS TO STOPRAISING THE SELECTED RAIL.